Byakuroku
Byakuroku is one of the half-demons who works for the Village of the Oracles. She is mistreated as a half-demon, and is extremely jealous of Zakuro for her happiness. She cares much for her twin sister, Daidai, who is her only family. To protect Daidai, who is much weaker than her, she often takes the bigger punishments and dangerous missions. This makes Daidai think, however, that Byakuroku is receiving favoritism, and retalliates against her. She is in love with Omodaka, and cares for little other than his safety and happiness. Byakuroku speaks with an archaic Japanese vocabulary. In the Manga When Omodaka kidnaps Zakuro, Byakuroku knows that he has a duty to have a child with her to continue on the strong divine blood. However, she also knows his pains of being supposedly shunned by his mother, and tries to comfort him, even though she is a half-demon and a servant. She rubs his hand to try and make him feel better. In response to this, Omodaka embraces her suddenly and deeply, showing his dependance on her comfort. She is the only one he seeks comfort from. Byakuroku betrays the Village of the Oracles when she leaves the village to meet with an unexpecting Agemaki, and gives him the pendant his mother gave to Zakuro, and says that Zakuro said she treasures it dearly. When Agemaki asks if this means Byakuroku is his ally, she replies to his question by telling him that she wants to stop "him" (meaning Omodaka), and does not want to see him suffer any longer. Byakuroku arrives with Agemaki as Zakuro's divine form goes beserk. Omodaka is speechless that Byakuroku had betrayed him, and looks at her with heart-broken eyes, to which she averts her own. The priests of the village, finding no more need for Omodaka or his half-sister, decide to kill them both. Byakuroku jumps in front of him, determined to save him. When Zakuro and the gang hold off the priests as the village burns, his half-sister strongly insists that Byakuroku and Omodaka come with them back to their village. Although Omodaka hesitates, Byakuroku tells him "I want you to live, Omodaka-sama". Hearing these words from her, he showed them to the hidden path that leads outside of the village. However, what waits for them in the tunnel is Rangui, who has a want for revenge. She desired to devour Omodaka, then being connected with him in soul and flesh. Although Byakuroku tries to jump to his side as soon as Rangui appears, Daidai holds Byakuroku's arms back, deathly jealous of her sister. As Rangui's blades nearly reach Omodaka, Byakuroku apologizes to her sister by saying "Sorry, Daidai", elbows her in the stomach, and rushes in front of Omodaka to take the blades in his place. A shocked Omodaka looks at her as she falls to the ground and is kicked by a jealous Rangui, saying that she is always in the way. Omodaka takes Byakuroku's sword and stabs Rangui, demanding with cold fury, "Don't you dare step on Byakuroku". He proceeds to return Rangui to an un-thinking insect, but immediately loses his cool as soon as she is gone, rushing to Byakuroku's side and calling her name. She placed her hand on his face and painfully smiled, "Omodaka-sama... Please don't make that face..." Susukihotaru acts to perform quick emergency treatment on Byakuroku to hold until they reached the village, and tells Omodaka to hold her hand tight as she is being carried. He quickly and silently agrees, squeezing her hand, to which she responds by squeezing his back. Back in the village, a healed Byakuroku complains loudly that Bonbori and Hazuki are treating her like a dress-up doll by dressing her up in many accessories and kimonos, which she is not used to. The twins reply that in her normal attire she would stand out too much, and continue to accesorize her. After Omodaka and Zakuro have a heart-to-heart talk, in which he states his plans of living normally in a village, Zakuro calls to Byakuroku, telling her that their talk was done and that she could go be with him, and also teased her that the kimono suited her pretty well. Behind them, Daidai appears, with her hair cut completely different and a solemn look on her face. Daidai tells her sister that she always lived in her sister's shadow, and now wants to live a life for herself, and decides to work at Aya Orikata's shop, and also be a big sister to Mugi. When Byakuroku says that she must leave soon, Zakuro bows deeply in front her her, saying　"兄をよろしくお願いします.", which means something along the lines of "I leave my brother in your hands". This has an important meaning in Japanese, because a family member usually says this when their other family member has found a lover/betrothed. Omodaka and Byakuroku are last seen in the distance joining both of their hands together tenderly. They are thought to have gone to live in peace, just the two of them as lovers. In the Anime In the anime, Byakuroku is shocked that her own sister Daidai has betrayed her. Daidai is subsequently killed by Rangui, who tricked her, and Byakuroku holds a remorseful, dying Daidai in arms. As she passes away, Byakuroku sheds tears for her sister. When Omodaka resolves to die as the village burns, Byakuroku tries to persuade him to run away and live. Although it seems they had died together in the fire as she had refused to separate from him, it is seen at the end that the two of them lived. Category:Village of the Oracles Category:Enemies Category:Allies Category:Half-Demons Category:Female Characters Category:Characters